Questions for a Convert
by realtrashwriting
Summary: Conversion missions rarely go as planned, and but this one seems to be over quicker than Kid Flash thought it could, much to his amusement. As long as he asks the right questions, and gives her all the right answers, they'll be just fine. Right?
1. Chapter 1: A Painful Goodbye

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans** **or any other external references made by the characters.**

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 **Questions for a Convert**

 **Chapter One: A Painful Goodbye**

"What are _you_ doing here?"

"That's normally my line," drawled Jinx, eyeing the red and yellow hero.

"I mean, it's not that I hate seeing you, Jinxie, 'cause I _always_ look forward to seeing that lovely face of yours." His recovery was poor and even though the Titan was suave, his flustered expression could not escape her eyes. He still had his suit on, ever ready against the villains that haunted Jump at night. She would have assumed that the teen would be out in the field regardless. If he wasn't patrolling the streets he was hitting up young girls he thought were equally in need of his attention, or more accurately his affection. "I'm just wondering what you're doing on this side of Jump."

"You shouldn't even _be_ in Jump, Kid. I thought you and the others Titans relocated properly. You know, preventing major dispersion to avoid another Brotherhood of Evil phenomenon? Unless you've been stationed here."

"We are," he said slowly, bright eyes studying her equally bright countenance. "You could come in and talk about it! I would love to spend time catching up with you."

"You saw me yesterday," she reminded him flippantly, "but why would I do that?"

"Well, I'm sure you don't want to stand in my doorway forever."

"That or you don't _want_ me to stand in your door way forever."

"Look, having a cute girl at your door is every guy's dream, but you and I are both not completely comfortable with having all my neighbors listening in to the conversation, are we?"

She couldn't quite argue with that yet, so she took a few hesitant steps in, eyeing the posters Kid Flash had around his apartment. For a Titan's hide out, it was certainly unprofessional and Jinx made sure to voice her opinion on the matter.

"What? I've been going solo for a long time so I've gotta keep things light and up-to-date. You like?"

"I thought you were reconsidering the solo thing. The whole Brotherhood of Evil thing kind of highlighted how disconnected the Titans were." She gave a look around the room again, wrinkling her nose at an unfamiliar poster of a youthful woman in minimal clothing. "Though this place definitely screams teenage boy, I'll give you that much, Captain Spandex."

"Must you always comment on the uniform? I don't mention yours."

"This isn't a uniform. Just something I've adopted. Not all villains go out of our way to be... noticed."

"Were you going to say _flashy_?" He waggled his eyebrows and gestured for her to take a seat at the kitchen table, which she curtly refused. "That's adorable," he continued, "so why have you come to visit me? Ready to officially switch over?"

"Almost," she admitted, and took pleasure in seeing the shock rippled across his features. "We need to clear some things first."

"Anything," he vowed, surprise transforming into a red and yellow blur of excitement that ended in the Titan sitting at the table with a clipboard and pen in hand. "Clear up as much as you want. Questions, demands, let's go."

She let out a breath. "Why are you so persistent on this while conversion mission? You could get much farther with younger villains that have much more potential and much less of a criminal record."

"I don't like the word persistent. Devoted sounds much better."

"I'm serious."

She watched patiently as his mouth turned downwards, lips pursed in thought as he surveyed her. Jinx was certain that the question would be met with another avoidance before he said, "I was taught that everyone has a little good in them and that when you go as fast as I do, you have to appreciate those things. Only with you, I see a lot of good. You don't have to just leave evil; you can fight for good. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to help you see your own goodness."

If she was being completely honest, she hadn't expected him to be as genuine as he seemed. Then again, she had a bad streak with heroes that generally entailed them screwing her over at the end of the day, no matter how honest she had perceived them to be initially. Kid Flash hadn't been so forthcoming with information in the past, so he could always be lying. But there was something about him that made her doubt such a thing. "That's cute, but we both know I'm a lost cause even if you don't act like it." She unfolded her arms and unlocked the door that he had, in his speed, shut and dead bolted. He was at her side in an instant, re-locking the door while his other hand fixed itself to her wrist. "What do you think you're doing?

"You can't just leave after you tell me that you've finally agreed to be a Titan! Jinx, you can't leave me hanging."

Her pale lashes fluttered, trying to ignore how her heart nearly stopped at their close proximity and Kid Flash's more that desperate tone of voice. "Back up, _Kid_ ," she warned, the stove display flickering dangerously.

"Then don't give me heart attacks." He removed his gloved hands from the pale skin of her wrist but took only a step from her. "I thought you were going to leave."

"Every villain needs an escape plan." With a sharp snap, the lock gave a shuddering click as pink energy destroyed it, followed by a groan.

"Jinx, why would you destroy my locks? It costs money to replace these, you know?"

"In case you've forgotten, I'm not familiar with buying things."

"You're not _unfamiliar_ with it either," he reminded, pulling a chair out, "and I don't mind helping you keep it that way. You said that you wanted to talk about it." She gave him a glare but took her seat regardless, her legs crossing with her arms to display how unimpressed she was with his behaviour. "Now go; ask away. If you have demands, let me know."

He posed his pen above the blank pages, looking up at her expectantly and Jinx sighed, eyeing Kid Flash in all of his spandex glory. If they took away their outfits and replaced them with average clothing, Jinx would've bet they looked perfectly domestic. "Your pen's out."

"What?"

"I said that your pen is out. Of ink."

He frowned, tried it out, and sure enough it was revealed that his pen had, in fact, completely run out of ink. "How'd you _do_ that?"

"I _didn't_." She bristled and saw him desperately trying to salvage his comment.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it like that, honestly! I meant you've got powers that seem to sense those kinds of things and I wanted to know about them because it's pretty cool when you're not using it for evil. Plus we've never talked about it."

Jinx sighed again, giving the Titan an opportunity to snag another pen from a neighbouring room and return to her with a hopeful expression on his face. "I was born with it."

"That's cool." Kid Flash leaned back into the chair and looked like the epitome of relaxed at this new bit of information. She was almost surprised that he wasn't jumping up and down at this information. He was a super hero. He'd have enough mainframe access to dig up information on her powers and their origin. But clearly he didn't know enough, because the bastard wasn't showing any of the characteristic fear that others had at knowing her true origins.

"No, it's not. Why do you think I was called Jinx? It's not just an alias; it's my _name._ The people who had me in their custody called it a curse and they weren't exactly wrong. Did you know that I killed my own mother when I was born. You can't be good after something like that."

"Jinx-" She couldn't bear to continue looking at the new horror that lingered on his face and glanced away a moment. She had forgotten how much she hated herself. Just thinking about the things she had done, the things people had called her after...They'd never been wrong; she'd been a monster, a witch, a _jinx_. Her talk with Robin early that day had been no better and now this?

"I tried and I tried to fix it. I tried not to use my powers and look into the superstitions to cure my streak." She looked the hero straight in his gorgeous blue eyes as she admitted, "Nothing; I found _nothing_. I found that walking under ladders wasn't bad, that black cats are extremely lucky, but there was nothing I could do to fix _me_. I told you before, didn't I? Good was _never_ an option for me."

"But now it is," he inserted gently, seeing the sadness well up in her eyes and sneak down her pale cheeks without permission. God, this was so _weak_ of her. "It _wasn't_ an option. _Now_ it is. You gave me more HIVE insight than Cyborg ever could! You helped the Titans take down the Brotherhood of Evil, the group that's been keeping even the Doom Patrol trouble for decades. If that doesn't make you good, I don't know what does."

"Being born good," she stated without hesitation and waved off Kid Flash's tissue box offer in exchange for the back of her hand which, when finished with her eyes, left them looking more pink and irritated than before. "Being born good makes you good."

"That's not true." Jinx was once again unsurprised by his conviction. In all the time she had known him, he had always done his best to remain in control and impeccably sure of himself no matter the conversation. She supposed cocky came with the hero duty, held back from the public only by spandex and a mask lest a villain learn their identity and try to punch the smug look off his face themselves on the streets. She knew that the Flash himself was a rather confident man as well. Perhaps cockiness simply came with the mantel. It would certainly explain Kid Flash for her.

"Kid, we've had this conversation already." Her trademark annoyance flickered behind fair eyes. "I want to ask my questions and get this over with."

"Right!" He straightened in his seat, as if he had completely forgotten their original purpose, and shot away to find a new pen, one that (and she had checked) worked perfectly fine. "Your questions! Because you're close to becoming a Titan and you want to clear things up."

Her eyes widened fractionally. "You're reminding yourself or me?"

"Just me if it makes you feel better."

"It doesn't. You're just too easy to talk to."

"Tha-"

"So easy that you had me remembering my past. I don't like that." She scowled. "Maybe I'm not as close to becoming a Titan as I thought."

"No! You are; I can tell," he assured her, visibly restraining himself from becoming too heated in his insistence. "Next question?"

"My next question," she posed slowly, trying to gauge his reaction, "is pretty straightforward. What would happen if Robin doesn't let me become a Titan?"

"Why-?"

"Because we both know he's a stick in the mud. He'd never let a villain like me become a Titan unless he was crazy or convinced they were good guys, like you."

"Robin and I are more alike that you think, but you're not all wrong. Any leader would be a fool to except you on the spot. That's why you've got me to vouch for you. And you've proven yourself enough."

"That's not going to happen."

"We won't know unless we try," he shot back.

"Next question."

"Great," he ducked his head down, pen poised over paper. "On our to-do list, we have 'talk to Robin'. Very promising."

She thought a moment in silence about why she really wanted to speak with him, but figured that the end of the conversation was likely the best time to say something so she moved on. "How many successful conversions have you had?"

Kid Flash coughed into the crook of his arm, letting out a very strangled sound that would have had Jinx raising her eyebrows had they been visible enough to see. "That's a great question." His anxiousness was palpable.

"Which means none."

"No, don't be that way," he groaned.

"What way?"

"The way you are _right now_ with that disappointed look on her face."

She hadn't known that she looked so disheartened and made sure to school her features into her trademark look of annoyance. "I'm not disappointed. This was expected; you're just not very convincing."

"Convincing? Really? You wound me! I convinced even _you_ to help the Titans against the Brotherhood Of Evil."

"You said I could get revenge on Madame Rouge; I couldn't pass it up."

"Sure, sure. What I meant was I haven't really had any successful converts because you were my first real trial."

"Meaning?" The term was semi-insulting, and that seemed to make sense to him because his expression shifted quite rapidly. She figured she'd give him the chance to save himself and he took it.

"Meaning you were the first person I thought actually worthy of my time and effort because I saw so much potential in you."

"You really know how to sweep a girl off her feet, huh?"

"I try." He gave her a charming smile.

"I also meant you as in the Titans; the good guys. Villains don't turn good everyday. How many ex-villain heroes have you got running around?"

"Um..."

"I thought so."

Kid Flash looked genuinely bewildered by the inquiry, the youth wracking his brain trying to find an answer that would no doubt appease her, and that Jinx doubted he could find. She sighed and took the clipboard from his hands so she could draw on her own time. Jinx doubted he could find. Jinx had finished half of his face before he said something. "Hawkeye."

"I'm sorry?"

"I said Hawkeye. He was a villain who became good."

"Hawkeye? He wasn't even a good villain. He was one accident after the other. It was pretty disgraceful, actually, so it doesn't really count."

"You knew Hawkeye when he was a villain?"

"It was along time ago but you never really forget a face, you know? Especially ones I was taught not to be like. We villains are just as territorial as you hero types; if there's a villain, you know about him, even the ones that couldn't do villainy right. They normally land up in our text books. Cyborg would've known about him too."

"How about King Vultan? Was he in your text books?"

"I take it back," Jinx said hurriedly, hands up as if in a surrender. "Who's King Vultan?"

"A villain who technically turned good. He had prisoners but later freed them." Kid Flash seemed proud that this nugget of information was unfamiliar to her.

"But he didn't exactly become a hero, did he?" Jinx guessed.

"To the people he saved, he did. We aren't heroes unless we're classified that by people, normally."

"Nobody would call me a hero," she said.

"And I think you genuinely that," Kid Flash quipped back, leaning in a bit, "but I see a lot more in you. I've seen you do good, Jinx, and you're amazing at it."

"That's one opinion, Kid, and it doesn't make much of a difference."

"I makes a lot of difference to me, but to everybody else? Do you think my opinion mattered to the Terminator? Or Darth Vader? Or Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation? No. They made their own decisions and you can decide to be good. You already have, in a way, why not make it official?"

Jinx sighed, eyes drifting down to her page to see Kid Flash's pale blue eyes staring back at her, pale as parchment and rimmed in the blue ink of her pen. "You really like the solo super hero life, don't you?"

"It's a blessing and a curse, but it has a hell of a lot of perks.

"But you wouldn't give it up. For anything, right?"

"Right."

Another sigh. Guess she would be leaving alone after all. "You're a good friend."

She missed the way his face fell when she spoke those words, missed his mouth open to say other words before changing their mind to say, "That's what I'm here for."

She looked up resolutely, schooling her features into the softest look she could muster and stood to lean across the table, her hand coming up to cup the side of her face. He was so _warm_.

"I'll miss you more that I'll miss Jump." With that, she shot her hex straight at his face and forced him to faint, his brain cells scrambling at the assault. She grabbed his couch pillow and stuffed it under his head before leaving, shutting the door behind her. It was when she got to the bottom of the complex that what she had done begun to register.

And she did not regret a thing.

Instead, Jinx calmly entered the blue car that awaited her, slipping in with a soft greeting before holding herself tightly. She was never going to see him again, or at least not be in contact with him for a few years. And it would have to be worth it, she reasoned with herself, sinking into the seats with a sigh. She had to do this on her own.

"Did you do it?"

"I did; he loves it here. He wouldn't be interested in the offer."

"Alright." Robin faced the front of the car again, sparing a glance at Cyborg form the shotgun seat before ending their correspondence with, "Let's get this over with."


	2. Chapter 2: Answer Me

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans or any other external references made by the characters.**

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 **Chapter Two: Answer Me**

Kid Flash was not a patient person; he never had been. Even before the Central City police laboratory had accidentally gifted him with speed, he had never enjoyed an idle lifestyle. He was a runner at heart and he was always moving straight towards his goals without hesitation.

Until now, of course.

"Hey, Cyborg! There you are!" The male turned to see Kid Flash advancing and tried to force a casual look onto his face.

"Hey, Kid Flash! How's it going?"

"Awful," he groaned. "I hate having to wait while Robin's in his meeting. It's _killing_ me! How do you do it?"

"Uh, I don't know. I just do; normally with BB and some video games. You want in?"

"Not right now. I really need to speak with Robin."

"Why?"

"Because I can't find Jinx! I've looked everywhere -all her usual hangouts, the old H.I.V.E. 5 base- but it's all empty. So I check the security footage outside my complex and caught Robin and the T-car, which," he gave Cyborg a pointed look, "I bet you were driving."

"...Right." There it was! Kid Flash caught the guilt on Cyborg's face plain as day and knew that he had the metal man right where he wanted him.

"But you take orders from Robin, so he knows what happened to Jinx and I intend to make him tell me. Unless you'd rather enlighten me?"

Cyborg blinked, lips curving downward. "Why would something happen to her? She's a confident and independent girl; she knows what she's doing."

"No, she doesn't. What if she goes back to villainy? I mean, I don't think she will," he rambled, "because I trust her but, Cyborg, what if she _does_? I can't stomach fighting her again; not now that we're friends."

"Wait, friends?" This notions seems to confuse Cyborg further, his expression a firm mix between bewilderment and a distinct lack of comfort. "I thought she was your girlfriend."

"No, of course not." Kid Flash's cheeks blossomed with colour and Cyborg let out a more hearty laugh.

"Man, you're almost as fun to tease than Robin. You're both strung way too tight even if I didn't expect it out of you. You're usually more chill."

"It's just the bad day." He ran a hand absently thorough the firey locks atop his head. "It'll be better once I find her."

"You don't see her everyday, though, do you?"

"No, but last night was different. She made it sound like she was leaving Jump for a long time; forever maybe. I tried her cell and it went straight to voice mail."

"You should take it easy, Kid. Maybe she just wanted some space."

He thought for a moment on such a notion. She needed _space_? Sure, she was always complaining about him but he didn't think that she simply wouldn't want to be around him at all. He had really liked getting to know her; she had not felt the same? "Why wouldn't she tell me about it then?"

"Is that not what she did yesterday?"

" _What_?!"

"Kid Flash! They turned to see Robin and numerous other heroes within the common room staring at them betwixt open doors. Bumblebee raised an eyebrow and the twins whispered something to one another, eyes locked on him. A firm mix of confusion and exasperation was evident in his new audience. The Titan who had opened them gave a quizzical look, tilting her head in question but remaining silent and allowing Robin to continue with, "Is there a problem? We're kind of trying to get something done here."

"Well, I need to talk to you. It's important."

He took a breath and told the others to _'take a break as they would be returning in 5 minutes_ ' before moving toward the youth.

"Friend, is there something wrong?" asked Starfire, glancing at Cyborg for some explanation. "Is there a way in which we can aid you?"

"He's just having some girl trouble, Star," said Raven flatly, what little of her expression showing a severely unimpressed Titan. "Let's get some tea before we head back."

Starfire looked hesitant to leave but Raven pulled her out of the hall alongside the other visiting Titans, shooting dirty looks behind them all the way. Kid Flash felt guilty for the young Tameranean's confusion but he had bigger things to deal with.

"Kid Flash, what's the problem? I thought you were supposed to be packing."

"You couldn't actually expect me to pack at a time like this. Jinx is _missing_."

"No, she's not."

"Which is exactly what I expected you to say." He folded his arms across his insignia, a frown fixed on his face. "Would you mind telling me where she is before I explode?"

Robin sighed. "She's where she belongs, Kid Flash."

"Which means?"

"Which means that she left Jump."

" _She_ left Jump," he asked, his heart thundering out a fresh rhythm in his chest, "or you made her?"

"We agreed it was best," he admitted after a pause.

"Bullshit. Agreed? Did you also agree to have her hex me into a coma? I still have a killer headache from how she blasted me last night. I might have been out longer if my extra speedy recovery skills hadn't kicked in. "

"Hexing you wasn't really part of the plan. She was just supposed to talk to you."

"'Course we talked but she didn't mention leaving at all until the end. She did it very cryptically too, mind you."

"I see." Robin put a thoughtful hand on the base of his chin. "Then I guess I'll have to ask you myself; would you like to continue being a solo hero?"

"What kind of question is that? What did that have to do with Jinx? What did that have to do with anything?!

"Just answer it; it's important."

"Then no, I don't. I don't care. Look, can we just focus on the real problem?! My friend is missing and you know where she is." Robin and Cyborg shared a look, as if understanding something that Kid Flash didn't before the boy wonder set his sights on him once more.

"She sent herself somewhere for a fresh start; a new life. If she didn't want you in it, then that was her decision." The fair haired Titan felt his heart drop at Robin's words. _She didn't want him in it..._ "Now that you're here, I have a mission for you that might help get her off her mind."

The mere thought that any mission could blot out the fact that one of his friends no longer wished for his friendship was insane. "And what would that be?" The words left his mouth mechanically, forced out while his mind whirled around what Robin had said. His face was all business with his arms folded across his chest. God, he reminded Kid Flash of Batman.

"To finish packing up and head back to your home city tonight. You've been away and helping Jump for so long that the crime rate has increased. Now that we're back, we can deal with things here, but we can't take care of other places as easily. I've sent another Titan to help you you can both start building your own team. Once you've learned to fight with one another well, I'll assign more Titans to the city; sound good?"

"Yeah, it's fine, I guess," he said, running a hand through his brilliantly coloured hair with more than average force. "If she comes back to Jump or contacts you, let me know, alright?"

"Why would she contact me?"

Kid Flash felt as though his heart was breaking into a thousand piece. "Because you knew where she was and she never even _told_ me. We were supposed to be friends, but she didn't tell me anything; only you and the pair of you _hate_ each other. If she was going to speak to anyone after this, it's safe to assume that she'd talk to you."

Robin pulled at the fabric around his neck awkwardly at the assessment but did not both to contradict his story. "Right," he got out, "well, if anything happens, I promise to let you know."

"Awesome." He couldn't even fake a smile, and simply allowed his legs to carry him back to his apartment without another word. Once he was there, he allowed himself to slump into his bed and feel the heat of his emotions away from the public eye. "Leaving?" he asked himself aloud, glancing at the small picture of Jinx's half-scowling face that he had managed to score not three months ago. She hadn't been pleased with him but she had taken his photo with her as well so he deemed it a trade of sorts. Although now that he thought about it, she could have just as easily made his photo a dart board... In fact, that concept was probably more likely for someone like her.

Still, she couldn't _hate_ him, could she? Leaving for a fresh start, he could believe, but leaving so he wouldn't be a part of her life? They were friends; good friends, even. And she had told him she would miss him...you didn't miss people you didn't like, right?

With a resigned sigh, he set to rapidly unpacking his belongings. It would have been finished soon if he hadn't frequently paused whenever something that reminded him of his lost friend came into view. It was worse when he found a dried out rose petal at the bottom of one of his boxes, the dead remnant of his past forcing him to pause and reminisce. It happened more frequently after that. When he packed her picture, he paused. When he caught his notepad from the night before, he paused. When he stumbled across a spare shirt she had left during an accidental sleepover, he paused.

He tried to lessen his worrying by checking in with Robin, needling Raven about her fondness for Beast Boy, or other such things but nothing was effective enough. He was still worried about her. It was then that he resolved to find her, to look everywhere he had to. He needed closure and answers, some sort of sign that she was alive and well and _not_ rotting in some detainment field.

"I'm heading back home now," he said and upon Robin's confirmation, he sped back to his original flat; the one he had owned once he;d convinced his family to let him leave their already protected city to a similar unprotected one nearby. He set the boxes down and redecorated his flat in record time. He was surprised to find that the final outcome looked exactly the same as his place in Jump City. He really had enjoyed his time there...

"Kid Flash! It's Robin, report in!"

"Couldn't have waited a few more hours so I could unpack?" he teased, watching Robin's masked face flicker onto the communicator's display.

"You're telling me you're not finished packing?"

"No, I have."

"I thought so," he chucked. "Has your new partner reported in yet?"

"No...were they supposed to?"

"They're probably settling in as well," he mused. "Not everyone can be the fastest boy alive."

"Once they report in, can I explore the old city? Or were you thinking of having me wait for a villain to appear and then make a grand entrance?"

"Knowing you, you'll probably enjoy the latter. I know how you like to show off for your fan girls."

Kid Flash tried to smile back genuinely, but it was difficult as Jinx had often mocked him for his popularity, something that he'd always interpreted as a kind of jealousy on her part. Every time she had expressed such feelings, he had felt his affection for his conflicted friend grow unbidden. The thought of her returned the pressing ache in his chest, his resolve flashing through his mind as he said, "Can't blame them. I'm just too amazing. "

"Right. I called just to make sure every thing is good. Cyborg told me that he's already rooted the police station to your communicator so you get the alerts quicker. He glanced away at something he could heat that Kid Flash could not, and frowned as he turned back. "Starfire wants to know how you're coping."

"Coping? I'm doing fine."

"You were frenzied at the tower. She's just worried."

"Tell her now to be worried. I bounce back fast," he added with a wink.

"Good. Let me know how your partner works with you. If you don't mix, I might have to reassign them to another district."

"Is he experienced at least?"

"They're good with teams, so you should follow their lead."

"Hey, Robin, about Jinx. I want to-"

"Sorry, Kid, I have to go. Raven's going to kill Beast Boy again and I have to stop them. Robin, out."

His friend's face blinked away and the teen let out a sigh. One day, he would be like Robin with a great team, preferably one that didn't involve constant quarreling. Years after this one, he knew he would have to take up the Flash mantel and work with the League, something that he no longer looked forward to. The boy moped around his old apartment instead, adjusting and readjusting pictures and posters to distract himself.

It was when he decided to rest his eyes for a quick nap that he was jolted awake but he shrieking of his communicator. He fumbled with it and struggled to check the map Cyborg had installed for the location and was dismayed to find that it was a common bank robbery. The police's alert signal couple with his new partner's rang shrilly through his apartment and Kid Flash sighed. Such a simple thing it would be to fix. His feet set off for the location without so much as a second glance at the communicator and he could almost picture his uniform colours bleeding into one another to create the Flash signal for those around him. He could catch bits of their conversation, some lamenting over yet _another_ crime, surprise at the hero rushing to their aid, and then another word, one he hadn't been expecting. "Pink."

The sickness in his stomach was certainly not imagined, and once he was at the scene he found his blue eyes desperately for any glimpse of rose. His shoulders slumped slightly as he lost speed, the buzzing of the alarms resonating past the spandex and into his head. "She's getting away!" a police officer exclaimed and Kid's head nearly snapped at how rapidly he looked up. He could see nothing past the rubble littering the street of the gaping hole in the bank wall. He jerked his head as the same exclamation was echoed and this time his eyes locked on the feminine figure, clad in black turning sharply onto a new street; her hair was undoubtedly pink.

"Jinx," he breathed, his whole brain stalling as his memories of her bubbled to the surface; her voice, her eyes, her smile, the distinct pink glow when she was annoyed with him. Everything that made up his friend flickered through his mind and he took off, his questions and worry overshadowed by one thing; that she had gone back to villainy.

His feet gained ground with his signature swiftness and in no time at all he was standing in front of her. Jinx looked exactly the same as she had the night before, albeit clearly more shocked than upset. She jumped back, fair eyes widening. She hadn't expected him at all, he realized, which gave him an advantage. "Hey, Jinx," he drawled. "Miss me?"

"Kid Flash! What are you doing here?"

"Oh, you know, coming to say hi, see how you're doing after last night. You should know that your goodbye hurt. A lot." He gestured to his temple and tried not to let the fake smile turn into a scowl at the mention of what had felt, and still felt, like betrayal.

"You shouldn't be here."

"And neither should you."

"I-" She reached for something on her waist and moved it up to her mouth to speak. Through her fingers, he caught the signature black and yellow of the Hive communicator. She was going to call the rest of the 5, he realized in horror, and he zoomed over, snatching her wrist as he had the night before and forced it away from her mouth.

"What do you think you're _doing_?"

"What is your _problem_?" he countered. "I thought you were finished with them."

"You-" The communicator on his belt began to ring shrilly, the sound cutting through the air and mixing with the distress call Jinx had placed on her own communicator. They both stared at his, though. He had no plans to answer it; Robin would have to wait. But then, baby blue found the yellow and black of her communicator, the hexagonal one with the giant 'H' on it.

Only it was circular with the large 'T' emblazoned on its face instead.

He didn't have time to speak because her magic zapped him to the concrete and she was taking off down the street, profanities spewing from her perfect mouth at his incompetence. For all his speed and rapid recovery abilities, he was completely stunned. He'd blame it on her magic if anyone asked him about why he had sat, frozen in time on the asphalt, as his newly found friend ran away to catch the villain.

It had been her all along. _She_ had been his partner. That was the only reason he could think of that explained why she had a Titan communicator in her possession, why her distress call linked up to his own for aid. He knew enough about Cyborg's tech to know that they had been wired to contact the communicators of their teammates before locking on to any nearby signals. She hadn't known her partner would be him either, it seemed; she hadn't even been debriefed. But that also meant she was a Titan, he realized with a gleeful jolt. She _had_ chosen good in the end after all. His heart swelled with pride at the thought. His friend, once so consumed with hopelessness, had finally taken his advice and turned a new leaf. Granted, it stung a little to know that she hadn't told him, but he was still pleased with this new development.

"Ahem?" He glanced up at the sound to see her standing in front of him, hand on her hip while the other held the communicator, cat-like eyes surveying him with more annoyance than he had ever seen.

"Hey there."

"Hey there? That's the best you could do?" Pink flashed and he jerked his hand away as the electricity shot by his right, the intensity ripping up pitch.

"I mean, it's great to see you. How've you been?"

She scowled, ignoring him and raising her communicator to her face again. "Robin, this is Jinx. Report in."

"Jinx-" he began.

"Shut up."

"Yes, Ma'am." Kid Flash stared at her shoes, not willing to risk getting blasted again. She was in a bad mood, one he obviously had incited. He liked to push her buttons, but he knew when to cease. Besides, she was good now. She wouldn't hurt a teammate. Right?

"Robin. Report in," she demanded again.

Kid Flash caught hints of static until a voice filled the air. "Robin's communicator! How may I help you?"

"Where is Robin?" she snarled.

"Um, he just stepped out. He said Starfire was-"

"Starfire hasn't called him. Does he think I'm stupid? He's avoiding me because he knows how pissed off I'd be once I found out what he did."

"What did he-" She turned the screen so that Kid Flash was facing an abashed, green Titan. "Oh."

"Oh is right. So tell him to get his ass to this communicator if he wants to see Kid Flash alive." Blue eyes flickered to hers just as Beast Boy's widened with a yelp.

"But-" He and his friend locked eyes briefly before a swift motion by the sorceress led to cut Beast Boy's visage from view, replaced by an emblem that Kid Flash was beginning to both love and hate.

"Uh, Jinx? Don't you think threatening to kill me is a bit...much?"

She glared at him instead of answering at first, carefully categorizing his every move. " _You_ were supposed to stay in Jump. Away from me."

"What?"

"You said that you loved it there."

"I love a lot of other things too. And that's not fair, you knew I was packing for a new city."

"What are you even _doing_ here? This isn't your city."

"Actually, it kind of is. _Jump_ wasn't my city. This was the city I left while I was out guarding Jump. All our regular villains here have taken advantage of it so I returned."

"Not just the regulars," scowled Jinx. "A few other came crawling out to visit, like today with Kitten."

"Kitten?" He smirked. "Well that explains the pink."

"What was that?"

"It's just that on the way to the crime scene, someone mentioned pink and I-"

"And you assumed that _I'd_ stolen from the bank?"

He blinked, the smile slipping from his face, "Well, when you put it like that-"

"That's why you nearly broke my wrist when I tried to call for back up!"

"I-"

"And why you looked so upset!"

"I didn't-"

"I get it. You don't trust me. I get it." She rehooked the communicator to her belt with a snarl. "Don't worry. _Robin_ will take care of this."

"You know how strange it is to hear you say that, right?" Her magic shot past his ear, demolishing the road behind him. He could feel bits of rubble hit his back and tried to resist jumping at it when it nicked the back of his neck. "I do trust you."

"Whatever."

"What did you mean when you said you'd miss me?" he asked instead, not bothering to move; less out of inability and more out of respect for her.

"I can't miss my friends?"

"So you admit we're friends now?"

"Ugh. You're so annoying. Why couldn't you just stay away?"

"Because _this_ is my city. Robin knew it was too. Th real question is why he sent you here if you were so adamant on having me as far away from you as possible. And what were you supposed to tell me last night anyway? Why did you zap my head?! It really hurt when I woke up this morning." It still hurt, if he was being honest but he wasn't inclined to reveal that just yet. "And I thought we were in this whole Titan thing together. Ditching your friends isn't cool."

"You're running your mouth," she reminded him flatly.

"I'm actually Kid Flash, in case you've forgotten. Running is sort of my thing."

"Did you _want_ me to hex you?" Her eyes flashed menacingly but she hadn't done anything to her person quite yet.

"I want you to be honest with me." He watched the glow fade from her face, lips parting as she breathed in and out. "You expected me to leave Jump. I expected you to stay."

"It's not about you leaving Jump," she admitted, lips pursed. "It's-"

"Jinx? Friend Jinx, are you there?"

Kid Flash watched her scowl, unhook the communicator and bring it up to her face where she was no doubt glowering at Starfire in all her green eyed glory. "Yes?"

"I apologize for Robin's lateness. He has been most busy with papers. He says they are yours?"

"Yeah."

"What papers?" Jinx's eyes flicked to him sharply when he spoke.

"None of your business."

"Friend! You are present as well! You sound unharmed. Friend Jinx." She turned her attention back to the girl on the screen. "May I see the face of Titan Kid Flash? Robin wishes to ascertain that his health rivals that of a horse."

"What-"

"She heard the expression 'healthy as a horse' on television once," interrupted Kid Flash. Jinx turned the small machine around once again so Kid Flash was gazing at the Tameranean beauty. "Hey, Star."

"Friend! I am glad you were unharmed. Please, tell me what you have done to make Jinx so upset."

"What?! She threatened to kill me!"

"Friend Robin is not pleased that you have incited a conflict with your partner so early."

"Is he?" He glanced at Jinx, whose expression had morphed into one of curiousity. "I'm with Jinx; where's Robin?"

"Robin is doing the papers. He will return to his communicator momentarily. Until then, you will have to await him. He is quite bee-like," she added with a smile. "I shall try to aid him in hopes that he shall speak with you both sooner."

"Starfire, I'm getting the feeling that you know more about our partnership than we do. Care to explain a bit more?"

The girl may have been a perfectly innocent actor with Robin, but she was terrible when it came to lying in the faces of other people. "Um, I do not know what you are talking about." Her eyes flicked away from the screen. "Ah! My Silkie is calling to me. I must go. Friend, pleased do not upset Jinx any further. You are friends. Friend Jinx?"

"Yeah?" She turned the communicator back to herself.

"Do not harm our friend. Friends should not fight and you both fight more than most friends."

"Starfire-"

"I understand that your affections for each other hides behind the cruel words but I must insist that you avoid such things. You would not wish to incite The Drifting." Jiinx nodded slowly, the shadow crossing over her face unmistakable but useless in erasing the pink stain on her cheeks at the initial mention of affections. The simple action gave him more hope than he anticipated. "Thank you. Now, I must go to my Silkie. Have an evening of goodness."

He heard the screen flicker off and waited a few moments to speak. "When did you and Starfire get so close?"

"I taught her more about being a human girl, that's all, though she didn't really need it."

"And the papers?"

"Like I said, it's none of your business. You Titans are always trying to stick your nose where it doesn't belong."

"You're a Titan too, you know," he reminded, suffering under her glare and carefully cracking a smile. "You going to answer my questions?"

"If it was up to me, I wouldn't have to."

"Let's cut a deal then." Pink surveyed him through slits with more annoyance than interest. "You'll answer all my questions _honestly_ after you've had your talk with Robin. Deal?"

"You wouldn't even know if I was telling the truth."

"You're a Titan now. You wouldn't lie to me, would you?" He got to his feet, careful to make every movement slow and drawn out so as not to scare her. His companion was like the felines her eyes resembled; volatile and easy to scare. "Deal?" He gave her a hand to shake and gazed at her expectantly. " _Come on_ , Jinx."

"Fine." She slipped her hand in his and he was pleased to find that there was no hex to accompany the offer as there had been when they first met. No uncomfortable sting save the one that still buzzed around in his head. He'd have to ask her to get rid of it when they finished with this whole "ask Robin" business.

"Great." He flashed her a smile and tugged her to his chest only to scoop the new Titan into his arm.

"Wha-"

"Hold on." He took off like the lightening emblem on his chest, laughing at her squeak and clutching of his suit, the spandex twisting between her fingers. Her heat drifted to his chest as he ran and when he glanced down to check on her, he was unsurprised that despite the speed and her bridal position, the string of profanities continued to flow out of her mouth. Without sound, she almost looked like she was praying, a silent vigil taking place between his arms that would have been otherwise considered endearing. Once they arrived at their destination, he tried setting her down and was amused when she refused to let go, eyes still screwed tight. That changed, of course, when she realized where exactly they were and no sooner had she realized it than she was out of his arms, fixing her skirt before taking a breath to steady herself.

"Ready?"

She nodded and did what he didn't expect; blasted down the door.


	3. Chapter 3: A Lighthearted Acceptance

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans or any other external references made by the characters.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3: A Lighthearted Acceptance**

It felt like deja vu being back again. He had seated her across from him at the table again, her pink self seething as he fixed her up something to drink; coffee, as it were. He could have simply run over to the coffee shop to pay for some, but he seemed hesitant to leave her side. He likely thought that doing so might give her an opportunity to escape when he didn't even have his answers yet.

Kid Flash seemed intent on his silence, but with every passing second, the teen appeared tempted to break it. He kept casting her glances to see if she was any less brooding but no such thing happened. The impatience was infectious with him, and he seemed physically unable of not speaking on the events that had occurred not one hour prior.

"Jinx?"

"What?"

"Ease up a little, would ya? I just wanted to know if you're still mad at Robin."

"No," she said, softening slightly. She tugged on her sleeves and crossed her arms again. All the energy she had spent worrying about the change, about whether or not she'd be able to cut him off cold turkey. Jinx scoffed to herself. She should have known better than to think the ever persistent Kid Flash would give up their strange partnership without a fight. "I understand _why_ he did it. I should've expected it, is all." She narrowed her eyes at some spot behind his head as if it had personally wronged her. "He really is the son of Batman, huh?"

"Son?" Kid Flash spluttered. "Why would he be a son?"

"The Bat treats the kid like his son, everybody knows that. He takes extra care of Robin; more than Batgirl at least." The explanation seemed to be enough for the speedster and he visibly relaxed. Jinx decided she'd ask him about it later. "Are you going to ask your questions now or just make me sit around?"

"Sure." He flashed her a smile. "What do you think of my apartment?"

"It looks," she cast a glance around, reveling briefly on how both apartments looked similar, "almost exactly the same as the one in Jump."

"Yeah. It's almost like I never left." She watched Kid Flash survey his own home once more with an easy smile. "Or maybe I just like it best because it reminds me of you."

"You try really hard to be charming, don't you?"

"Actually, it comes to me quite naturally. It's my thing."You hang around me too, you know? Do you know how many banks we've casually met up in?"

"You mean banks we _used_ to meet up in?"

"Well we met in front of one today, didn't we?"

"You have me there." She snorted and took the coffee mug from him gratefully. "So get on with it then. Ask me your questions before I change my mind."

"Why'd you really want to be stationed so far away?"

She flushed, choking out, "Next question," before downing some of the coffee. Damn, he was straight to business.

"But I want to know the answer to _this_ question." He lowered himself onto the chair in front of her, swishing the water in his glass till he created a small whirlpool.

"You didn't even _try_ to build up to it, did you?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Why? Was the apartment question not good enough for you?"

She made to move. "Kid-"

"Just answer it. I mean, unless it was because you were taken in by my rakish good looks and devilish charm, convinced you would confess your undying love to me and skipped down under the guise of 'proving yourself'." Kid Flash tried grinning at her, although it seemed a little strained. She lowered herself into the seat with a sigh and a customary eye-roll. Where he dreamed this stuff up, she'd never know. "It won't hurt anyone, Jinx," he coaxed, his cocksure demeanor slipping a bit.

"Look, you heard what Robin said. It was to prove to him that I could be a hero without your help."

"Nah, I think it's more than that."

"You _always_ think there's more than there is."

"Only because with you, there usually _is_."

"Well, I've got nothing," she snapped. "This is it. I did it to prove myself to Robin-"

He seemed intent on indulging in this bit of honesty even if he'd already heard it from Robin. Jinx had a feeling that he preferred it to come from her mouth than from his masked friend. "And proving it to yourself? Could you do that? _Did_ you do that?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Come on, Jinxie, you _promised_." He coupled his reminder with a keen, blue look at her. "Titans don't break promises."

She stared him down angrily. She wasn't quite sure why this was riling her up, but he was striking chords in her that hadn't been struck in a long time. "What do you want me to say, Kid Flash? I've told you what you wanted. Robin told you the truth."

"Why are you lying to me?"

His voice wasn't accusatory, but challenging. As if daring her to contradict him. For some reason, this made her annoyance worse. She should have really thought about the deal she was making with the Titan before she made it. "I'm not."

"Then why are you nervous?"

"I'm _not_ , Kid."

"I knew it!" He leaned back into the chair with a cocksure grin on his face once more. "Then you _were_ taken in by my charm." She fixed him with another glare. "Thanks, but just so you know, I was taken in by your charms too." He gave her a wink. "That and your hexes. Both were potent."

"I don't have charms so don't waste your breath trying to dream some up." Jinx paused, not bothering to contract him for to do so would mean lying to herself. "And as for proving things to myself, you should know that I got absolutely no where," the new Titan admitted. "I didn't spend nearly enough time away from you to ascertain anything. It didn't help you went to find me right after I left, either."

"Well what did you expect? You showed up, we talked, you blasted me in the face and then disappeared! I thought you were in real trouble!"

"Or that I'd gone back to being a _villain_."

Her vibrant orbs inspected his expression, which looked much guiltier than she had expected. He put both hands up by means of surrender. "I admit, it was a thought that crossed my mind once or twice, but I was worried about you. And now that you're a Titan, we can work together! Don't you think that surpasses any doubts and worries in the past? I mean, forget about proving yourself then. How you act from here on out is important. We're partners now."

"Partners..." The word hung in the air for a bit. When Robin had first proposed the idea, she had been vehemently against it. No hero would trust a reformed villain so soon after her official cross over. It was impossible. However Robin's plan had been to assign her Kid Flash the entire time, a boy who had know her at her best and worst moments. Someone who had held faith in her longer than she had faith in herself. Working _together_ with him would not be a new experience. Even simply _wanting_ to work with him (however embarrassing the admission was for her) was not new. To work together in it's truest sense would be certainly a different experience. It would not be just on a whim or due to some self righteous conversion mission, but to work together for the sake of the greater good...she supposed it was something she could get used to. "I guess it is just you and me for now, even if it was supposed to be just me for a little while."

"Look, what Robin said was true; we work better together! Why try to fix what ain't broke, you know what I mean?"

"You and I...we're different." A warmth tinted her cheeks. "We might not need fixing. You? Yeah, you definitely need maintenance. Like a permanent filter on whatever you say. Or maybe you could fix yourself with something to cover your mouth."

"Ha, ha, very funny." He zipped over to the fridge to replenish his empty glass with water before coming back. "But we both know that you love this mouth and the stuff that comes out of it."

"Don't say weird stuff like that. Not all heroes have cool catchphrases, and I don't think you were gifted with any," she added with a smirk of her own.

" _That_ , Jinx, was not very nice."

"I'm _not_ a nice person," she quipped back.

"We'll just have to change that, then."

"We?"

"Of course! I'll be helping you with it more than ever now that we're partners." This seemed to brighten his mood considerably.

"It's been quite a while since we first met and I'm still not _nice_. What makes you think our arrangement will make any difference?"

"It'll make all the difference! We can spend so much more time together, and I won't have to worry about you trying to rob a bank. And our communicators are legally set up! No more hacked in versions from Cyborg so we can communicate."

Jinx soured a bit at the memory, brushing her bangs away from her pale skin. Her ex and now fellow Titan had not been exactly happy with connecting Jinx's personal H.I.V.E. Communicator with the Titan one. He'd eventually done it months ago due to Kid Flash's promise to keep a close, trained eye on her and ensure the connection wasn't used for villainy. That, and to pick up any car parts Cyborg had ordered in different parts of the world. "Right, because more time is going to help me?" She rolled her eyes at the idea.

"Exactly. Time, and my amazing self, will be here to help you; with anything."

"Anything, huh?" She stood, palms flat against the table, and leaned forward, gauging his reaction through the slits of his mask. He tried to seem unaffected but his eyes kept darting to her lips and back to her eyes. It was unnerving him, she realized brightly, which meant she was steadily getting the upper hand.

"Yeah, almost anything."

Jinx pulled back with a sly smirk and went to lay on his couch, her thin hands folded onto her stomach. Behind her eyelids, she allowed herself a series of deep breaths, all of which seemed to make Kid Flash more uncharacteristically anxious. He stood and was at her side in a flash. "What are you doing?"

"Breathing." She opened an eye. "Why?"

"Are you sick or something?" he asked, a hand jotting out to touch at her forehead. "You don't feel warm."

"Quit it!" She slapped his hand away as red dusted her cheeks again.

"You know, you're being awfully mean, lately. I _did_ mean it when I said I'd help you. After all, we're partners."

"You're too nice for you own good," she said finally after staring at him from her spot on the couch. She shifted up a bit, moving her legs so he could sit as he lowered himself next to her. He was curious, but playing it cool; a typical Kid Flash move. Even now, the teen couldn't really see what this meant to her; what his confidence instilled in her.

"Why thank you. " He grinned. "I make a point of being nice to people. Especially you."

"And why would you bother doing that?" She found herself leaning in to catch the rest of the words, words that he said in such a commonplace way.

"People haven't been as kind to you as they should have." The kind of offhandedness with which he was delivering his words made her heart stutter foolishly, taken in by his sincerity and genuine desire to make her feel better. "I intend to change that."

"Really? _You_ think you can change the whims and views other people?"

"Of course!"

"You're planning for a lot of change in this partnership," she remarked with a light air.

"I'm betting on it, yeah. This _should_ mark a change, one I'm certain I can make."

"That's cocky."

He shrugged, his trademark smile sweeping over his face once again; the one she wanted to punch off. "I changed you, didn't I?"

"Ew. Don't stay stuff like that," she murmured. For a brief moment, she swelled with courage, moving quickly to press her lips against his cheek before standing up. "Just thinking about it makes me sick."

"Jinx," he breathed, awestruck at her and, in all honesty, she was starting to like that expression on him. A faithless hand came up to touch his cheek as if in awe of what had occurred there and wanting to find physical evidence of the contact itself.

"Did you just _kiss_ me?"

"Nah. For some reason, your cheek fell into my face. Don't think too much about it." Jinx turned to go, cursing herself for being caught up in the moment; for being normal and love struck in front of him. Clearly vowing not to do so had failed her. She'd have to decide on another way to smother the affection she had for the bright coloured idiot. Said idiot zipped in front of her to halt her motion, and she tried not to dwell on her burning face.

"Jinx, you _kissed_ me."

"I said-"

"But you hate me!" he protested quickly, clearly expecting some kind of harsh remark and trick to her affection.

"Says who?"

"Said you! Almost every day since the day we've met!"

She shrugged. "Maybe I don't hate you as much as you thought I did. I _did_ say I'd miss you after all."

His face swelled with joy and he let out a cheer. "Finally! It took forever to get you to like me."

Jinx let her arms fold over her chest again, not quite done with her teasing, and challenged him with, "And who said I liked you?"

"You said that-"

"I said I didn't _hate_ you as much as before, not that I liked you. Come on, Kid, be reasonable. That could have been a 'thank you'."

"It was a ' _thank you'_ kiss?" His blue eyes seemed even more blue and mournful than ever before she laughed and pressed another kiss to his cheek.

"You're ridiculous."

" _Jinx_ ," he whined whilst she scoffed at his expression.

"I'm going back to _my_ apartment. I'll talk to you tomorrow or whenever the next call is, alright?"

"Wait! Jinx-"

"See you tomorrow, Kid Flash."

"So then you _do_ like me?" he called after her, wisely choosing not to pursue her. After all, they would be spending a lot of time with one another in the weeks that followed.

"Maybe next time." She walked away, glad to at last have the upper hand. Perhaps she'd tell him her feelings later on. If, she added to herself with a wry grin, he deserved it.

* * *

 **And that's that! I really don't know what I expected out of this...I kind of wrote it in a daze months ago only to spend a week patching it up for you guys to read. I hope you enjoyed! Feel free to drop a comment in the review box to let me know how I did. Unless it's an issue with continuity of characters, because if it is, I can't help you. I based it off the cartoon version and nothing else; not the original comics or not Young Justice. Just the cartoon. If you still have a problem, then I look forward to the constructive criticism!**

 **That said, I sincerely hope you guys enjoyed the story and have a marvelous day! Thanks for reading!**


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